Francophonie Week | The Francophonie, a little-known economic lever

The Francophonie brings together countries that use French on a daily basis as a mother tongue, language of use, administrative language or language of instruction. This shared language is a powerful economic asset with immense potential.

The French-speaking area (88 member states and governments of the International Organisation of the Francophonie) produces 16% of the world’s GDP and has an economic growth of 7%. 

It is heterogeneous (demographics, education, social and health systems, financial strength, industrial system, food dependency, energy dependency, innovations and investments), but has complementary supports: reservoirs of natural resources (oil, gas, uranium, “green gold”), some of the strongest banking systems in the world (Europe, Canada), strategic energy supply corridors. 

The spread of the French language favours the growth of economic and commercial relations between French-speaking partners, and constitutes privileged areas of exchange.” […]